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The Western Journal
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The Western Journal, previously known as Western Journalism, is an American conservative[2] news and politics website based in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded by political consultant Floyd Brown in 2008.
Key Information
Western Journalism previously stated that it featured "conservative, libertarian, free market and pro-family writers and broadcasters"[3] and that it seeks to provide "God-honoring" content.[4] In practice, according to The New York Times, this philosophy, in which "tradition-minded patriots face ceaseless assault by anti-Christian bigots, diseased migrants and race hustlers concocting hate crimes," results in "a torrent of sensationalized, misleading, or entirely made-up stories, often aimed at Muslims and immigrants."[5] Because of negative rulings by fact-checking sites and user trust surveys, Western Journalism was blacklisted by Google and Apple News, and by 2017 its Facebook traffic declined to near zero.[5]
History
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Western Journalism founder Floyd Brown also founded the political action committee Citizens United[6] and served as executive director of the Young America's Foundation.[7]
The site was acquired by Liftable Media, Inc. in 2014,[4] which also owns the political opinion websites Conservative Tribune and Liberty Alliance,[4] and the Christian website Liftable.com.[8] It also owns and provides content to dozens of conservative Facebook pages.[5]
Newsweek reported that the site has grown from receiving 1,000 page views a day in 2009[6] to more than 1 million during 2016.[9]
In a 2016 story on how fake news spreads on social media, The Intercept reported that "Thanks to views sourced largely to referrals from Facebook, Brown's websites now outrank web traffic going to news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, CBS News, and NPR, according to data compiled by Alexa".[10]
The company changed its name in 2018 to The Western Journal, hired trained copy editors, and introduced a corrections page.[5] In 2018 the CEO of Liftable Media, which publishes Conservative Tribune and The Western Journal, told BuzzFeed News he would be contacting True Pundit to demand it cease and desist "stealing the first 10 paragraphs or so of our content".[11]
The New York Times reported in 2019 that the site had more than 36 million readers and followers on Facebook.[5]
Reception
[edit]Western Journalism previously stated it featured "conservative, libertarian, free market and pro-family writers and broadcasters"[12] and seeks to provide "God-honoring" content.[4] In practice, according to The New York Times, this philosophy, in which "tradition-minded patriots face ceaseless assault by anti-Christian bigots, diseased migrants and race hustlers concocting hate crimes," results in "a torrent of sensationalized, misleading, or entirely made-up stories, often aimed at Muslims and immigrants."[5] Because of negative rulings by fact-checking sites and user trust surveys, Western Journalism was blacklisted by Google and Apple News, and by 2017 its Facebook traffic declined to near zero.[5]
In February 2019, The Western Journal published an article which alleged "Climate Change 'Heat Records' Are a Huge Data Manipulation." Scientists criticized the article, saying it was deceptive and that it contradicted existing research. The Western Journal subsequently retracted the article.[13]
In November 2021, a study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate described The Western Journal as being among "ten fringe publishers" that together were responsible for nearly 70 percent of Facebook user interactions with content that denied climate change. Facebook disputed the study's methodology.[14][15]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "About The Western Journal". The Western Journal. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
Politically, The Western Journal advocates for broadly conservative positions on most issues
- ^ Dagnes, Alison (2019). "Negative Objectives: The Right-Wing Media Circle and Everyone else". In Dagnes, Alison (ed.). Super Mad at Everything All the Time: Political Media and Our National Anger. New York City: Springer International Publishing. pp. 167–217. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-06131-9_5. ISBN 9783030061319. S2CID 156032120.
- ^ "About". Western Journalism. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Liftable Media Announces Acquisition Of TPNN, Tea Party News Network" (Press release). Liftable Media. September 2, 2015. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g Confessore, Nicholas; Bank, Justin (August 21, 2019). "In the Trump Era, a Family's Fight With Google and Facebook Over Disinformation". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ a b Krohn, Jonathan (December 6, 2016). "Floyd Brown has spent decades manipulating media, from the Willie Horton ad to Conservative Tribune". Newsweek.
- ^ "About Floyd Brown". Western Journal. November 22, 2022.
- ^ Vandervort, Miranda. "Liftable.com – Lift The Best, Leave The Rest".
- ^ "Westernjournalism.com Traffic and Demographic Statistics by Quantcast".
- ^ Fang, Lee (November 26, 2016). "Some Fake News Publishers Just Happen to Be Donald Trump's Cronies". The Intercept.
- ^ Silverman, Craig (August 27, 2018). "Revealed: Notorious Pro-Trump Misinformation Site True Pundit Is Run By An Ex-Journalist With A Grudge Against The FBI". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ "About". Western Journalism. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015.
- ^ Johnson, Scott (February 26, 2019). "Western Journal op-ed deceives readers with completely unsupported claims". Science Feedback. Climate Feedback. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
- ^ Porterfield, Carlie (November 2, 2021). "Breitbart Leads Climate Change Misinformation On Facebook, Study Says". Forbes. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "The Toxic Ten: How ten fringe publishers fuel 69% of digital climate change denial". Center for Countering Digital Hate. November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
External links
[edit]The Western Journal
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Overview
Founding and Rebranding
The Western Journal originated in 2009 as WesternJournalism.com, established as a project of the Western Center for Journalism under the leadership of political consultant Floyd Brown, who had taken over the center that year.[1][4] Initially, the site functioned primarily as a hub aggregating and linking to conservative videos and content centered on political analysis and media critique, without producing much original material.[1] By 2011, it began posting content directly on Facebook, which accelerated audience growth; in 2013, the addition of its first full-time staff writer contributed to hundreds of thousands of daily readers by year's end, followed by over 4 million unique monthly visitors by May 2014.[1] On January 1, 2015, WesternJournalism.com was acquired by Liftable Media Inc., a company focused on digital media properties.[1] The site continued expanding amid rising traffic from social media referrals, though it faced algorithmic changes and restrictions from platforms like Facebook and Google starting around 2016–2017, which reduced visibility for certain conservative outlets.[2] In November 2017, the platform underwent rebranding from WesternJournalism.com to The Western Journal, coinciding with a shift to the new domain WesternJournal.com, described officially as a move to consolidate and professionalize operations.[1] This rebranding aimed to unify branding across affiliated properties; by April 2018, ConservativeTribune.com—a sister site emphasizing opinion and cultural commentary—along with Liftable and The Wildcard, were integrated as sections within The Western Journal, streamlining content under a single flagship outlet.[1] The changes included hiring trained copy editors and establishing a corrections page to enhance editorial processes.[5]Mission and Core Principles
The Western Journal's mission is to produce educating, entertaining, and informative digital content through the lens of traditional American values, serving as a trusted source for news and commentary overlooked by establishment media.[1] Founded on the principle of empowering citizens with information to make informed decisions, the outlet emphasizes transparency, accountability, and civic engagement, viewing public participation as a form of stewardship.[1] It targets audiences seeking alternatives to what it describes as the overt leftism in mainstream reporting, focusing on topics relevant to Heartland Americans while upholding traditional Christian values as articulated in the Bible.[1] Core principles include commitments to truth, honesty, integrity, and accountability, with editorial decisions prioritizing a complete picture of events irrespective of personal beliefs.[1] The publication is guided by biblical teachings, such as Colossians 3:17 ("Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus"), and affirms the traditional nuclear family structure per Matthew 19:4-6.[1] Foundational values encompass freedom, equality under the law, representative government, hard work, self-reliance, and respect for law and order, all rooted in Christian ethics as essential for personal and societal flourishing.[1] While opinion content may align with conservative ideas, the site does not endorse political parties.[1] Editorial standards reinforce these principles through rigorous verification, skepticism toward unconfirmed information, and prompt correction of errors with visible notices.[6] Content creators are directed to distinguish facts from opinions clearly, attribute sources, avoid fabrication or distortion, and disclose biases or conflicts of interest, aiming to build trustworthiness by providing context and diverse reliable perspectives where possible.[6] This approach seeks to counter perceived institutional biases in legacy media by focusing on wholesome, useful reporting that respects readers and subjects alike.[6]Historical Development
Inception and Early Operations (2008–2015)
The Western Journal traces its origins to Western Journalism, a conservative online news platform founded in 2008 by political activist Floyd G. Brown following his departure from the chairmanship of Citizens United.[7] Brown, a veteran of Republican opposition research known for producing the controversial 1988 Willie Horton advertisement during the presidential campaign, established the site in Phoenix, Arizona, amid the transition to the Obama administration, aiming to provide alternative conservative commentary on national politics.[4] Initial content emphasized critiques of liberal policies, government overreach, and Democratic figures, drawing on Brown's experience in grassroots activism and media manipulation tactics honed over decades.[4] In its early years, Western Journalism operated as a digital outlet prioritizing opinion-driven articles, video content, and investigative pieces aligned with conservative viewpoints, often amplifying stories overlooked or downplayed by mainstream media.[2] The platform leveraged emerging social media tools to distribute content, building an audience through viral sharing on platforms like Facebook, where sensational headlines and partisan analysis resonated with right-leaning readers disillusioned with establishment journalism.[2] By focusing on rapid publication cycles and user-generated amplification rather than traditional print or broadcast models, the site achieved modest but steady traffic growth, positioning itself as a counter-narrative voice during the 2008 financial crisis and early Obama-era debates on healthcare and fiscal policy.[4] A pivotal development occurred in 2009 when Brown assumed leadership of the Western Center for Journalism, a preexisting nonprofit entity he revived to train conservative activists in digital organizing and social media strategies, integrating these efforts with the website's operations.[4] This synergy enhanced Western Journalism's role beyond mere reporting, fostering a network for mobilizing supporters and funding through donations tied to advocacy campaigns.[8] Through 2015, the outlet maintained a lean structure under Brown's oversight, emphasizing ideological consistency over journalistic neutrality, with content frequently challenging official narratives on issues like election integrity and executive actions.[2]Expansion and Trump-Era Growth (2016–2020)
In the lead-up to and during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, The Western Journal—operating then primarily through its affiliated sites Conservative Tribune and WesternJournalism.com—saw explosive traffic growth fueled by social media distribution of content critical of Hillary Clinton and supportive of Donald Trump. By December 2016, these properties collectively drew approximately 33 million unique monthly visitors in the United States, exceeding traffic to most adult entertainment sites except PornHub.[4] This represented a dramatic increase from earlier years, with daily page views rising from around 1,000 in 2009 to over 1 million by 2016, as the outlets shifted toward viral, outrage-oriented articles optimized for platforms like Facebook.[4] The Trump era amplified this momentum, as the site's alignment with administration-favorable narratives on immigration, media bias, and cultural issues resonated in a polarized information ecosystem. Facebook engagement peaked, with posts accumulating roughly 750 million shares, likes, and comments over the three years ending in March 2019, helping sustain an overall audience exceeding 36 million unique visitors.[2] Under leadership from Floyd Brown and his son Patrick, the organization consolidated operations; in November 2017, WesternJournalism.com rebranded to The Western Journal and migrated to WesternJournal.com, followed by the April 2018 integration of Conservative Tribune into the unified platform.[1] These changes streamlined content production and branding, enabling broader reach without diluting the core focus on conservative commentary. Revenue and operational expansion followed suit, though exact figures remain proprietary; the surge in traffic translated to heightened ad revenue from Google and social referrals, positioning The Western Journal among the top conservative digital publishers before subsequent platform throttling.[2] By 2019, despite early signs of algorithmic demotion by Facebook and Google—changes the site's executives attributed to ideological suppression rather than quality concerns—the outlet maintained multimillion-visitor monthly totals, underscoring its adaptation to Trump-era demand for alternative media narratives.[2] This period marked the peak of its pre-deboosting influence, with sustained growth in email subscribers and direct traffic offsetting initial reliance on tech giants.[4]Post-2020 Adaptations and Challenges
Following the 2020 U.S. presidential election and the January 6, 2021, Capitol events, The Western Journal encountered intensified platform restrictions typical of conservative media outlets, as social media companies expanded content moderation policies targeting election-related narratives deemed misinformation by fact-checkers aligned with progressive institutions.[9] These measures included reduced visibility and algorithmic deprioritization, contributing to broader industry challenges in audience reach amid accusations of amplifying unverified claims about voter fraud.[10] A notable escalation occurred on October 21, 2024, when Facebook abruptly banned publisher and owner Patrick Brown, disabling key publishing tools and ad functions weeks before the presidential election, without prior notice or stated reason, exacerbating dependency on alternative distribution channels.[3] This incident underscored ongoing vulnerabilities to unilateral platform decisions, which conservative publishers attribute to ideological bias in tech enforcement rather than neutral policy application, though mainstream analyses often frame such actions as necessary safeguards against disinformation.[5] In response, The Western Journal adapted by prioritizing direct subscriber engagement and email newsletters to circumvent platform gatekeeping, a strategy mirroring post-2020 shifts among similar outlets to foster independent traffic amid declining reliance on social referral.[10] Despite these hurdles, the site reported traffic growth during the 2020 cycle, reaching 7.5 million visits—a 68% increase—demonstrating resilience through niche conservative appeal, though sustained post-election metrics remain opaque without public disclosure.[10] Leadership has also pursued advocacy against perceived censorship via lobbying, as evidenced by pre-2020 efforts extended into the period, aiming to influence policy without compromising editorial independence.[5]Editorial Stance and Content Strategy
Ideological Orientation
The Western Journal explicitly aligns with conservative principles, emphasizing traditional American values rooted in Judeo-Christian ethics, including the biblical concepts of original sin, the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus Christ, and marriage defined as between one man and one woman.[1] Its content frequently advocates for limited government, individual liberty, free-market economics, strong national defense, and pro-family policies, while critiquing what it terms the "establishment media" for overlooking stories that challenge progressive narratives.[1] This orientation is reflected in its self-description as featuring writers and broadcasters who are conservative, libertarian, and pro-family, with a mission to deliver news and commentary that prioritizes transparency and accountability over partisan endorsements in straight reporting.[11] Independent media bias assessments consistently classify the outlet as right-leaning, with AllSides rating it as "Right" for its advocacy of conservative stances on social issues like abortion restrictions and traditional marriage, as well as economic policies favoring deregulation.[12] Ad Fontes Media categorizes it as "Hyper-Partisan Right," noting a strong skew in story selection toward narratives supportive of Republican figures and policies, such as defenses of Donald Trump during his presidency.[13] These evaluations, while derived from methodologies that some conservatives argue incorporate left-leaning assumptions about neutrality, align with the site's own editorial choices, including opinion pieces that endorse self-reliance, law and order, and resistance to expansive federal interventions.[12][13] The outlet's ideological framework also incorporates libertarian elements, such as skepticism toward government overreach in areas like surveillance and economic regulation, but subordinates these to a broader cultural conservatism informed by faith-based stewardship and civic engagement.[1] Unlike centrist or left-leaning publications, it does not frame policy debates through lenses of equity or identity politics but instead prioritizes empirical outcomes of policies, often highlighting data on crime rates, economic growth under conservative administrations, and the societal impacts of family structure dissolution—claims it attributes to verifiable statistics rather than ideological fiat.[1] This approach positions The Western Journal as a counterweight to mainstream media, which it accuses of systemic bias toward progressive viewpoints, though such critiques are themselves debated by outlets with opposing leanings.[12]Key Topics and Reporting Style
The Western Journal primarily covers topics centered on U.S. politics, cultural controversies, faith-based issues, family values, and critiques of liberal policies, government overreach, and mainstream media.[1] Its content highlights conservative priorities such as opposition to abortion, support for small government, defense of traditional marriage, and promotion of law and order, often framing these through biblical and traditional American principles like freedom, hard work, and representative governance.[1] Additional categories include lifestyle, sports, cartoons, videos, and entertainment, with a focus on stories appealing to "Heartland Americans" that are underrepresented in establishment outlets.[14] [15] Examples of recurring themes encompass election coverage, immigration enforcement, Second Amendment rights, religious liberty, and exposures of perceived hypocrisy in progressive activism, such as critiques of figures like Joy Reid or policies involving transgender athletes in sports.[16] [17] The outlet aggregates and repackages news from other sources alongside opinion pieces, prioritizing narratives that align with its audience's skepticism toward elite institutions.[2] In terms of reporting style, The Western Journal employs a viewpoint-driven approach informed by its stated values, transparently acknowledging that coverage reflects traditionalist perspectives while committing to factual accuracy and context without distortion.[1] [6] It mixes straight news with heavy emphasis on commentary and op-eds, using provocative headlines to challenge dominant cultural narratives and encourage reader discernment, though it conducts limited original reporting.[2] This method contrasts with neutral journalism models, as external evaluators, including those with left-leaning institutional ties, classify it as hyper-partisan right due to selective story emphasis and opinion integration.[11] [13] The publication maintains that such critiques stem from ideological opposition rather than substantive inaccuracies, positioning itself as a counter to biased mainstream reporting.[1]Fact-Checking Practices and Accuracy Claims
The Western Journal outlines its commitment to accuracy in its published Ethics and Editorial Standards, stating that it publishes only verified information after multiple verification steps, including sourcing from primary documents, eyewitness accounts, and corroborating reports where possible.[6] Staff are instructed to fact-check claims rigorously, attribute information transparently, and avoid unsubstantiated allegations, with editorial oversight requiring approval from senior editors for contentious stories.[6] The outlet maintains a corrections policy, allowing readers to submit error reports via contacts listed on each article, and publishes updates or retractions on a dedicated corrections page when inaccuracies are confirmed, a practice formalized after hiring copy editors trained in traditional journalism in 2018.[6] [2] The publication conducts its own fact-checking through articles tagged under a "Fact Check" category, where it evaluates political claims, such as debunking assertions about Democratic programs targeting ICE agents or verifying images in election contexts, often citing official records or public data to support conclusions.[18] This internal process aligns with its self-described mission to counter perceived media distortions, emphasizing primary source reliance over secondary interpretations.[6] However, the outlet rarely engages third-party fact-checkers like PolitiFact or Snopes, instead critiquing them as ideologically skewed in its reporting.[18] External assessments have challenged these practices, with Media Bias/Fact Check rating The Western Journal as "Questionable" due to multiple failed fact checks, promotion of conspiracy narratives, and blending of opinion with news, citing specific instances of misleading headlines and selective sourcing as of its latest review.[11] Ad Fontes Media similarly classifies it as "Unreliable" and hyper-partisan right, based on analyst reviews scoring low on factual reporting metrics like use of loaded language and lack of original sourcing.[13] These evaluations, which draw from left-leaning fact-checking ecosystems, contributed to algorithmic penalties, including blacklisting from Google News and Apple News aggregators by 2017 after accumulated "false" ratings reduced visibility and traffic.[2] In response, The Western Journal has removed thousands of older articles, enhanced editing protocols, and contested such ratings as products of partisan bias, pointing to factual errors in critics' own analyses.[2] [19]Business Model and Operations
Ownership Structure
The Western Journal was established in 2009 as WesternJournalism.com by the Western Center for Journalism, a nonprofit founded by political consultant Floyd Brown.[1] In 2014, Liftable Media, Inc., a digital media company established by Patrick Brown—Floyd Brown's son—acquired the site, with formal integration occurring on January 1, 2015.[1] Liftable Media subsequently rebranded it as The Western Journal and positioned it as the company's flagship property, alongside other conservative-leaning outlets such as Conservative Tribune.[20] The Western Journal operates under The Western Journal LLC, which serves as the direct owning entity, while Liftable Media, Inc. maintains overarching control as the parent company.[1] Patrick Brown functions as publisher of The Western Journal and chief executive officer of Liftable Media, overseeing strategic and operational decisions.[21] [22] Floyd Brown, though no longer involved in ownership, remains associated as the publication's founder and has contributed content on occasion.[7] The structure emphasizes family involvement, with Liftable Media funding operations through advertising, reader memberships, and donations, without reliance on external corporate investors or endowments.[1]Revenue Sources and Digital Distribution
The Western Journal generates revenue primarily through digital advertising, paid memberships, content syndication fees, and partnership agreements with advertisers and content distributors.[23][24][25][26] Advertising includes display ads, sponsored content, and video campaigns targeted at its audience of millions of monthly readers, with opportunities for brands to promote products across the site's distribution networks.[23][26] Paid memberships provide a subscription-based revenue stream, offering ad-free access and premium content unlocks through two tiers: the Member's Club at $5.99 monthly or $59.90 annually, and the Editor's Club at $15.99 monthly or $159.90 annually, which also supports production of over 1,100 articles per month.[24] Additional income derives from the WJ Wire syndication service, which licenses approximately 30 articles monthly to U.S. publishers via a WordPress plugin, starting at $4,000 per month under a 12-month contract, enabling ad monetization on partner sites.[25] Partnerships further contribute through sponsored promotions, custom movie marketing contracts, and a Content Affiliate Network (CAN) program that facilitates fixed CPM rates for link sharing and email list monetization without exclusivity requirements.[26] Digital distribution centers on the westernjournal.com website as the core platform, supplemented by free email newsletters for subscriber engagement and content delivery.[24] Content syndication via WJ Wire extends reach to external publishers, providing optimized articles with editorial standards aligned to traditional values for integration into third-party sites.[25] Social media channels and email lists are leveraged for audience monetization and amplification, including link sharing and promotional campaigns, though the outlet emphasizes direct site traffic and partnerships to counter platform dependencies.[26] This model supports broad dissemination to engaged conservative audiences while funding independent operations.[23]Staff and Leadership
The Western Journal was founded in 2008 by Floyd Brown, a conservative activist and author who previously produced the Willie Horton advertisement during the 1988 presidential campaign and served as CEO of the USA Radio Network.[7] Brown established the site initially as WesternJournalism.com under the Western Center for Journalism, focusing on investigative reporting from a conservative perspective. Although Brown stepped back from day-to-day operations following the site's acquisition, he continues to contribute articles and books promoting the outlet's mission.[7] In January 2015, Liftable Media, Inc., acquired the site from the Western Center for Journalism, rebranding it as The Western Journal in November 2017.[1] Liftable Media, founded in 2014 by Patrick Brown, operates as the parent company, with Patrick Brown serving as its CEO and the publisher of The Western Journal.[21] Under this structure, editorial leadership emphasizes rapid production of conservative commentary and news aggregation, with a team structured around assignment, story editing, and contributing roles rather than a traditional editor-in-chief position in recent listings.[21] Key editorial staff includes Managing Editor Michael Austin, who oversees daily operations; Supervising Assignment Editor Jake Harp and Supervising Story Editor Kassandra White, responsible for content assignment and review; Weekend Manager and Assignment Editor Jared Harris; Senior Story Editor Bryan Chai; and Associate Story Editor Lorri Wickenhauser.[21] Contributing personnel comprise journalists Randy DeSoto and Ole Braatelien, alongside editors Josh Manning and Joe Saunders, who provide specialized input on opinion and investigative pieces.[21] This lean hierarchy supports high-volume output, with contributors often drawing from conservative networks to align with the site's ideological focus on limited government and cultural traditionalism.[27]Reception and Influence
Support from Conservative Audiences
The Western Journal garners significant support from conservative audiences for its advocacy of traditional values, limited government, and criticism of progressive policies, as outlined in its editorial standards.[6] This alignment has fostered loyalty among readers seeking alternatives to mainstream media outlets perceived as left-leaning. For instance, the outlet has been referenced by prominent conservatives such as former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who has utilized its reporting in public communications.[28] Engagement metrics underscore its popularity within conservative circles, particularly on social media platforms like Facebook, where it ranked among the most influential publications during the late 2010s.[5] In November 2018, The Western Journal recorded 6.767 million unique visits, placing it among top conservative sites tracked by media analysts.[29] Traffic surged 49.74% in May 2018 compared to the prior year, reflecting growing appeal amid heightened political polarization.[30] By late 2020, monthly visits reached 7.5 million, a 68% increase from earlier periods, driven by content resonating with pro-Trump and anti-establishment sentiments.[10] Conservative audiences value its opinion-driven reporting on topics like immigration, Second Amendment rights, and cultural issues, which often amplify narratives challenging dominant media frames. In 2021 analyses of Facebook content, The Western Journal appeared among the top-viewed domains for right-leaning material, alongside outlets like The Daily Wire, indicating sustained algorithmic and user-driven visibility.[31] Its Facebook reactions in the Trump era rivaled those of major national publications combined, highlighting organic support from ideologically aligned users rather than institutional promotion.[32] This reception positions it as a key player in the conservative media ecosystem, appealing to audiences distrustful of fact-checkers and legacy journalism.[11]Criticisms and Media Bias Ratings
Media bias rating organizations have evaluated The Western Journal's ideological leanings and reliability, often classifying it as strongly conservative with varying assessments of factual accuracy. AllSides rates it as Right-biased based on independent review of its online content, noting its self-described conservative, libertarian, and free-market orientation.[12] Media Bias/Fact Check assigns a Right Biased rating with Mixed factual reporting, citing extreme editorial bias, use of loaded language in headlines, and story selection that favors conservative viewpoints while portraying left-leaning figures negatively; it labels the outlet Questionable overall due to numerous failed fact checks, including claims of a stolen 2020 presidential election and misinformation on COVID-19 vaccines.[11] Ad Fontes Media categorizes it as Hyper-Partisan Right in bias (on a scale where positive scores indicate right-leaning) and Unreliable/Problematic in reliability, based on analyst ratings of article bias and veracity.[13]| Organization | Bias Rating | Factual/Reliability Rating | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AllSides | Right | Not explicitly rated | Focuses on online news; medium confidence in rating.[12] |
| Media Bias/Fact Check | Right Biased (Far Right score: 8.0) | Mixed (6.3); Low Credibility | Cites promotion of conspiracy theories and poor sourcing in some articles; updated December 13, 2024.[11] |
| Ad Fontes Media | Hyper-Partisan Right | Unreliable/Problematic | Derived from panel analysis of specific articles.[13] |